Cushion-tire.



H. E. EDWARDS.

CUSHION TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25. I913.

1,149,640. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

EEdu/ards INVENTOR WITN ESSES ATTO R N EY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH coivAsnmuroN. n. c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

HARRY E. EDWARDS, 0F WARREN, OHIO. i

CUSHION-TIRE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY E. EDWARDS, acitizen of the United States, residing at WVarren, in the county ofTrumbull and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Cushion-Tire,of which the following is specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cushion tires for vehiclewheels.

The object of-the present invention. is to improve the construction ofcushion tires for vehicle wheels, and to provide a simple, efficient andcomparatively inexpensive cushion tire adapted to be substituted for thepneumatic tire of an ordinary vehicle wheel without necessitating anyalteration in the construction of the latter, and capable of eliminatingtire troubles, such as punctures and blowouts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cushion tire of thischaracter capable ofaffording the desired resiliencyand cushioningaction and of producing a smooth riding wheel and of increasing the lifeof the same.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it beingunderstood that various changes in the form,propor.- tion, size and minor details ofconstruction, within the scopeof the claims, maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of aportion of a wheel provided with a cushion tire, constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view onthe line 2-2 is illustrated the preferred embodiment of I the invention,the cushion tire comprises in its construction a solid tire '1, andfacushioning spring 2, consisting ofasingle piece of fiat spring materialcompletely encircling a .wheel 3 and composed of loops 4 arranged atintervals and connected by inner circumferentially curved members orportions 5, arrangedflat against the rim 6 of the wheel 3 Specificationof Letters Patent.

.9 of the wheel.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed September 25, 1913. Serial No. 791,789.

and secured to the latter between the spokes 7 thereof by bolts 8,piercing the attaching portions of the spring, the rim and the felly Thebolts 8, which are disposed radiallv of the wheel, are provided at theirouter ends with heads to engage the spring and have threaded innerterminals for the reception of nuts 10, washers 11 being preferablyinterposed between the nuts and the inner periphery of the felly 9.While a single bolt is shown for securing each connecting portion 5 ofthe spring to the wheel, any number of bolts may be em ployed,depending, of course, on the size of the wheel and the distance. betweenthe spokes thereof. The wheel is designed to rotate in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. l of the drawing, andthe loops 4, which extend inthedirection of the rotation of the wheel, are each composed of anoutwardly curved rearportion 12 and a front approximately radiallyarranged S-shaped side or portion 13, consisting of inner and outerreversely arranged approximately semicircular bends-1 1 and 15. Theinner and outer bends have approximately coincident diameters arrangedsubstantially radially of the wheel, and the inner bend 14 isapproximately twicethe diameter of the outer bend, which receivesatransverse bolt 16, but the relative sizeof the inner and'outersemicircular bends 14 and 15 maybevaried. The

side or portion 12, which extends from the adjacent connecting portion 5to the outer :end of the Sshaped side or portion 13, is

continuously curved and presents an outer convex 'face and an innerconcave face.

These-two sides 12 and 13 0f the loops cause theinner portions to taperoutwardly and form a relatively narrow outer portionarrangedcircumferentially of the wheel. .The spring loops are adapted tocushion the tire and absorb the shocks and jars and produce an easyrunning wheel.

The tire 1, which may be constructed or rubber, composition or any othersuitable material, .is provided at the inner portion tending annularflanges19 of tire engaging l bands 20, which constitute sectlons of anouter rim. The bands 20, which are spaced apart at the center of theinner face or tire 1, have inwardly projecting annular attaching flanges21, which are pierced at inter- N vals by the transverse bolts 16. Thebolts 16 are connected and maintained in spaced relation and in theouter bends of the loops of the spring by metallic spacing rings 22,located at the side edges of the outer portions of the loops of thespring and maintained in tight engagement with the same by the bolts 16,which are provided with nuts 28. The bolts also pass through the outerportions of flexible annular side pieces or rings 24, arranged betweenthe inner attaching flanges 21 of the tire engaging bands and the spacedrings 22, thin metallic steel washers 25 being preferably interposedbetween the flexible side rings, the flanges 21 and the spacing ringsThe parts through which the bolts 16 pass are firmly clamped by the sameto prevent any rattling of the parts and to relieve the same offriction.

The flexible side strips or rings, which cover or close the spacebetween the tire engaging bands and the rim of the wheel'at the sidesthereof to exclude dust, mud and other accumulation from the interior ofthe cushion tire, are designed to be constructed of canvas, rubber,orany other suitable material, and they are provided at their inner edgeswith beads 26, located at opposite sides of the cushioning spring. Thebeads 26 have flat inner side facesto engage the side edges of thespring," and they are engaged by a flange 27 of the rim 2 and a flangeor engaging portion 28 of a detachable ring 29. The beads 26, which arespaced apart by the spring to maintain them in engagement with the rimand the detach able ring 29, are preferably reinforced by steel wires30, orother s'uitable'means, and they have flat inner side faces to fitthe spring and round outer side faces to conform to the configuration ofthe flange of the rim and the engaging portion of the detachable ring.The spring is of a width to extend across the rim from one side of thewheel to the other to enable it to operate as a spacing element fortheannular flexible side pieces. The engaging flange 27 of the rim islocated at one side of thewhee], and the rim is provided at the oppositeside with the usual groove orv channel 31 for the reception of thedetachable ring. The detachable ring may be of thesplit type, or anyother preferred construction, and the cushion tire is adapted to beapplied to the ordinary pneumatically tired wheel when the pneumatictire thereof is removed, and the device of the present invention doesnot necessitate any alteration in the construction of the wheel furtherthan the provisions of the openings for the radial bolts 8'. Theterminals of the cushioning spring may be welded together or they may besecured to the rim and felly of the wheel by a bolt passed through theopening usually procombination with a rim, a tire arranged in spacedrelation with the rim, and tire holding means having transversefastening devices, of a cushioning spring supported by the rim andcomprising tire cushioning loops arranged at intervals around the rimand extending from the rim to the tire holding means and receiving thetransverse fastening devices thereof, said loops having approximatelyradially arranged S-Shaped portions, and relatively long loop connectingmembers extending circumferentially around and presenting concave facesto the rim and spacing the loops beyond one another.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rim, atire arranged in spaced relation with the rim, and the holding meanshaving transverse fastening devices, of a continuous cushioning springsupported by the rim and comprising tire cushioning loops arranged atintervals around the rim and extending from the said rim and receivingthe said transverse fastening devices, said cushioning loops having ap'')roximately radially arranged shaped portions consisting of inner andouter substantially semicircular bends with approximately coincidentdiameters, the inner bends being of greater size than the outer bends,and relatively long loop connecting members extending circumferentiallyaround and presenting concave faces to the rim and spacing thecushioning loops beyond one another.

3. In a device. of the class described, the combination with a' rim anda tire arranged in spaced relation with the rim, of a cushe ioningspring extending entirely around the rimand comprisingloops arranged atintervals and extending outwardly substantially at an inclination withrespect to the rim and yieldably supporting the tire, circumferentiallyarranged portions connecting the loops and fitting flat against andpresenting concave faces to the said rim of the same curvature as thelatter, and transverse fastening means extending through the loopsat theouter endsthereof and connecting the spring with the tire. v

fl In a device of the class described, the combination with a rim and atire, of tire retaining bands'located at opposite sides of the tire andprovided with meansfor engaging the same, a cushioning spring mounted onthe rim and having portions fitting against and yieldably supporting thetire retaining bands, flexible sidepieces covering the space between thebands and the rim, transverse fastening devices connecting the bands andpassing through the flexible side pieces, and means carried by the rimfor engaging the flexible side pieces at the inner edges thereof, saidspring being of a width to extend across the rim and spacing theflexible side pieces and cooperating with the transverse fasteningdevices and the engaging means of the rim to hold the said flexible sidepieces in position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rim and atire, of 'tire retaining bands located at opposite sides of and engagingthe tire, a cuhsioning spring mounted on the rim and having projectingportions yieldably supporting the tire, transverse fastening devicesadjustably connecting the said bands, side rings having openingsreceiving the fastening devices to space the same and located atopposite sides of and directly engaging the springs, flexible sidestrips covering the space between the bands and the rim and pierced bythe said fastening devices and clamped between the bands and the saidrings, said spring spacing the rings and maintaining the same inengagement with the side pieces, and means carried by the rim forholding the inner edges of the flexible side pieces.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a rim and atire, of a cushioning spring mounted on the rim and having projectingportions yieldably supporting the tire, flexible side pieces coveringthe spaces between the rim and the tire and provided at their inneredges with beads Copies of this patent may be obtained for fittedagainst the side edges of the spring and spaced apart by the latter,means carried by the rim for engaging the beads to clamp the sameagainst the side edges of the spring, and fastening means for securingthe outer edges of the flexible side pieces. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with a rim provided at one side with anoutwardly projecting annular flange and having a channel at the oppositeside, a tire arranged in spaced relation with the rim, of a cushioningspring mounted on the rim and having projecting portions yieldablysupporting the tire, flexible side pieces covering the spacebetween thetire and the rim and provided at their inner edges with beads, saidbeads having flat inner faces to engage the side edges of the spring andone of the beads being engaged with the flange of the rim, a detachablering mounted in the channnel of the rim and engaging the other bead,said beads being maintained in engagement with the flange of the rim andwith the detachable ring by the spring, and means for securing the outeredges of the flexible side pieces.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY E. EDWARDS.

Witnesses MARGARET P. WILL, JULIUS N. CoNDERY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

